Press for cutting or punching sheet material.



A. SCHOENKY.

PRESS FOR CUTTING 0R PUNCHING SHE ET MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.8. 1916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1 Kw +MWI, HM

A. R. SCHOENKY.

PRESS FOR CUTIING 0R PUNCHING SHEET MATERIAL APPLICATION FILED DEC.8. I916.

1,22%;884. Patented June 5,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. R: SCHOENKY. .PRESS FOR CUTTING 0R PUNCHING SHEET MATERIAL.

APPLICATIUN FILED DEC- 8. 1916. r 1,228,834.. Patented June a, 1917. 3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Figl a. .i'fii? a7 is UNITED STATES: PATENT OEFWE.

AUGUST R. SGHOENKY, OF SOMERVTLLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REECE SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PRESS FOR CUTTING OR PUNCHIN G SHEET MATERIAL.

ill 228,834..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5,-iai 7.

Application filed December 8, 1916. Serial No. 135,743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST R. SoHonNKY, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presses for Cutting or Punching Sheet Material, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the v accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to presses for cutting or punching sheet material, and is shown applied to a design of machine adapted more particularly to the purpose of dieing-out leather to constitute the upper parts of boots and shoes, although various features hereof could be used for dieing-out or cutting or punching other sheetmaterial.

A typical example of a machine of the class referred to, and which is the basis upon which the present invention constitutes an improvement, is that of the North British Patent No. 16,488 of 1904. My present machine, in common with the'North cutting-out press, embodies a solid, heavy frame provided with a flat, horizontal bed, over which may be spread the sheet of material or leather to be cut, and a presser or head of construction and weight adapting it to press a suitable die through the material resting on the bed. The die is usually a loose or detached member with knife edges at its lower side, and it may be placed in selected positions on the leather, according to the nature or grain of the leather, to secure the best results. This presser is fitted. on the machine so that it may be swingingly shifted over the bed to and from any desired cutting position. It is also fitted to descend toward and recede from the bed. The machine is power-actuated, having a constantly rotating pulley or other power member and connections therefrom, including a clutch, by which the presser may be moved "toward and from the bed after it has been shifted into cutting position. Owing to variations in the height of the dies which may be used and the wear which takes place 'on the bed or cutting block,

means is .provided for predetermining the point of nearest approach of the presser to the bed, so that, when actuated, it will certainly drive the die through the-leather without injuring the bed. This is performed by a vertical adjustment of the bed.

A controller or lever, located below the bed, is employed, having connections for bringing about the actuation of the presser, and,

replaced in any desired position for a subsequent cut. The presser swings over the bed relatively to a carrier or pillar or slide or ram, which is reciprocated vertically by an eccentric. The North machine, however, although having such structural features, is objectionable in certain respects, including lack of sufficient rigidity of the various movable parts and lack of proper coordination between the bed and the presser and reduced efliciency resulting therefrom, and certain inconveniences in operation.

The principal object of the present improve'ment is to overcome the objections heretofore noted, and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be elucidated in the hereinafter following description of one form of embodiment in which my invention may be carried out.

A design of machine has heretofore been proposed which has partly overcome the noted objections to the North machine, as shown in my prior Patent 1,068,455, but only at the sacrifice of certain advantages pertaining to the North machine; and it is an object hereof to overcome all the objections while retaining all the advantages of punching machine and the novel features of design, combination and detail, herein illustrated or described.

The principal features of the present invention which overcome the stated objections to the North machine are the following: All movable, adjustable or wearable connections between the eccentric rod and the ram or pillar which it reciprocates are obviated, so that, at this point where the greatest strain occurs, the mechanism is absolutely durable and reliable in action. The eccentric connection engages directly with the pillar, or with a part thereof practically integral and unitary with the body of the illar, and permanent, non-adjustable and lmmovable. The adoption of this structure is permitted by the illustrated novel combination of elements, wherein not onl is the pillar non-rotating, the presser itsel swinging with respect to the pillar, but the pillar is also free from vertical adjustment, such as that of North, the bed itself in my machine being adjustable for the purpose of determining its correct relation to the presser. This stated cooperation issupplemented by the combination with the pillar and the other elements mentioned of a presser of special structure, which, although rotatably arranged on the pillar, constructed and connected so as to preclude any play or wear or distortion. This novel presser consists of several port ons, a r'o tary bearing surrounding the pillar above the guide which guides the pillar, a presser head projecting forwardly from the bearing,

,and a preferably rearward extension serving to extend to a second bearing located on the pillar below the constituting a unitary rlgld presser memuide, all these portions ber having the movements which will be more fully described. In these advantageous ways I secure sufficient rigidity of the various movable parts, and I thus avoid any reduced efficiency from lack of exact coordination between the bed and presser, even though the speed of the machine be greatly increased, so that I am enabled to employ a well-known type of press clutch which takes effect quickly, and is herein shown operable by foot or hand, as convenient.

In the accompanying drawings disclosing one form in which my invention may be embodied, Figure 1 is a righthand elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front view of certain parts shown partly in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 is a similar view on the l1ne41 v0f Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the plane 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the plane 66.

in a manner and for purposes to be later described.

Located at a higher level than thebed is the shifting or swinging presser or head 15, provided forconvenience with a handle 16 at its forward end, by which it may be swung horizontally into any desired position over the bed, according to the location of the die, ormay be swung to the right or left from above the bed, to give'the operator ample room for inspection of the stock or leather and placing the die thereon to the best advantage.

The leather or other sheet material 16 is supposed to be spread fiatwise over the bed, and a loose die 17 is laid on the leather with its cutting edge downward, so that, when struck by the descending presser,'the die will-be pressed through the material, thus cutting out the desired shape.

Referring to the presser member 15, this, as shown in Fig. 2, has sufficient width so that it need be swung merely into approximate position and'will more than cover the die or dies to be operated.

In order to give the presser this horizontal swinging movement and an lip-anddown reciprocation, I have provided a slide or ram 18, which, being usually upright, may be termed a pillar, and which is made hollow for lightness, and adapted to carry the presser and to give it its 'up-and-down movements, while the presser is connected to the carrier or ram by rotary means, so as to permit the presser swinging movements, thus dispensing with any complication due to the ram having to rotate in addition to its reciprocation. As will be noticed from Fig. 1, there are a number of bearings along the length of the ram 18.. The topmost bearing 19 is a rotary bearing and consists of a cylindrical portion rigid with the presser engaging around the ram. From this bearing extends downwardly a rigid extension 20, at the foot of which and spaced below the bearing 19 is a second rotary bearing 21 between the presser and ram. The parts 15, 19, 20 and 21 are shown as a single casting constituting the presser, and,

by reason of the bearings 19 and 21, it is capable of bodily rotating or swinging relativelyto the ram 18. The presser is coinpelled to move vertically with the ram by being confined betweena shoulder 22, provided at the upper end of the ram, and a thrust bearing 23 of the rolling ball type, between the cylindrical bearing 19 and a collar 24 below it rigidl secured upon the ram. The collar 24 is s own as detachable for the purposes of assemblage, and as adjustable for takin up lost motion, by means of screw threads Formed at 25, and a clamping device or bolt 26 serves to lock the collar in proper adjustment. 7

It being understood that the ram 18 is vertically reciprocable, but is incapable of rotation, it will be seen that the construction recited permits the free swinging of the presser into and out of cutting position while compelling it to partake of the vertical ram movements.

The ram 18, which is preferably cylindrical, constitutes in effect a slide for the purpose of its up-and-down motion, and to suitably support and guide it in this' motion it is provided with two slideways or supporting bearings 27 and 28, which constitute extensions of the frame 11.

The bearing 27 is located between the frame bearings 19 and 21, before referred to, and the bearing 28 is located beneath the bearing 21, so that the two rotary bearings and the two slide bearings are alternated in position, giving great strength and freedom' from play or lost motion. This arrangement, furthermore, dispenses with the objectionable overhanging structurq illustrated in my said Patent No. 1,068,455, which merely increases ,the height and weight of the machine and obstructs the required. Upon the shaft 31 is eccentric 32 p for reciprocating the ram 18 and the presser, and it may be'such as to give a fixed extent of motion something under an inch in throw. It will be noted that the shafting which receives and transmits the power through i the eccentric to reciprocate the presser is arranged similarly to that of the Hodges,'Ash- 1e and Grosvenor British Patent No. 3276 o 1879, so as to extend forwardly and rearwardlyat the lower central part of the frame, which is a convenient arrangement permitting the eccentric to be placed near the front end of'the shaft beneath the ram, pillar or plunger, and the power pulley so far to the rear that the power belt, however arranged, will not stand in the way of the presser as it is swung toward the side of the machine.

Y My'heretofore described arrangement of bearings for the ram 18 permits a very effective and durable connection to the eccentric, as best shown in Fig. 5, and one which is devoid of adjustment and practically incapable of wear, this bein rendered possible by the fact that the relative adjustment between the resser and bed is effectedby vertically shi ting the bed, as will be described.

Within the hollow lower end of the ram is snugly and permanently secured by a pin 33,

a strong steel plug 34, and between thelower end of the plug 34 and the eccentric 32 extends the strap or connecting rod 35, which is short in'length and is snugly fitted, to avoid lost motion or wear, at both its upper Either I the eccentric 32, and each of the .bearings 36 is provided with a removable bearing sleeve orbus ing 37 to permit the insertion and removal of the shaft.

In order that the power of the constantly rotating power pulley 30 may be communicated at the proper times to the shaft 31 for actuating the presser, any suitable coupling device or clutch may be employed. Instead of employing a friction clutch such as that of North, which is thrown in engagement by the pressure of the control lever or pedal and gives a gradual easy starting,'I prefer to employ a different, butgwell-known, ty e of clutch, which may be engaged by a light tripping motion, as has been frequently employed in various cutting and punching presses.

In the drawings hereof I illustrate such a clutch, which for convenience is located on the same shaft 31 which carries the power pulley and eccentric.

vders 39.

Instead of attempting to apply friction or other stopping means when the power is disengaged, I prefer to maintain a constant braking friction upon the collar 40, and an arrangement for this purpose isshown in.

the form of a felt stri 41, located between the collar 40 and a 0 amp ring 42, which latter may be tightened to the'proper degree by a screw device 43, which passes through the extremities of the clamp ring and through a fixed lug 44 extending rearwardly from the frame of the machine. This braking arrangement is such that, when the clutch is disengaged, the shaft is brought almost instantaneously and quietly to rest with the presser in its elevated position.

The clutch dog 46 is pivotally arranged in a recess in the collar 40 in such a way as to permit it to engage with any one of the four shoulders 39, and, as seen in Fig. 4, v a

shaft, excepting when the dog is pressed into inoperative position by the means which will now be described.

or shoe 49 before the shaft comes to rest.

The operation of the 'shoe 49, as seen in Fig. 4, is to wedge the dog within the eriphery of the collar, so as to cause it togisengage from the notches 39, which have up to that time been causing the rotationof the dog and shaft. 7

The shoe 49 is adapted to be shifted from and into operative position, and for this purpose is secured at the lower end of a swinging arm 50, fulcrumed at 51 to a rearwardly extending bracket 52. The arm 50 is made in two parts capable of adjustment for altering the position of the cam shoe, and, when adjusted, may be secured by the device 53, as seen in Fig. 4.

The shoe may be swung forwardly to remove it from operative position by swinging rearwardly an upward extension 54 of the arm 50, (see Fig. 1), against the opposition of a spring 55. The operative or rearward position 0 the shoe ma be set or predeter- Fined by the adjusta 1e stop device 56,

i 1. l lr Figs. 1 and 4 the parts are shown in their position when the machine is not running. The shoe 49 is in its rearward osition, and it has forced the dog 46 radially inward, so that the shaft has been disen-.

gaged from the friction band. r

In order to start the machine it is only necessary to shift forwardly the cam shoe 49, so as to move it out of the path of the dog 46, permitting the latter to swing out of the recess in the collar, so as to engage in one of the notches 39 of the pulley, and therefore be rotated. This may conveniently be effected by a connecting rod 58, extending from the cam 50 forwardly, as seen in Fig.

pulleyand stopped by the 1, its forward end being shown pivoted to an upwardly extending arm 59, secured at its lower end to a rock shaft 60, having a pair of forwardly extending arms 61, shown as connected by a cross rod 62, which may serve as a pedal that can be conveniently depressed for closing the clutch and causing the actuation of the presser.

As it maybe sometimes desirable that the controller or clutch lever be accessible to the operators hand, rather than the foot or some other part of his body, I have shown a simple arrangement whereby the treadle device or foot controller described may be depressed by hand. A pair of opposite and upward connecting rods 63 extend to a hand controller or bar 64 which is conveniently guided upwardly and downwardly by carrying levers 65. Handcontrol for tripping a clutch to apply power to a cutting or punching press was, however, known prior to the North patent, and I make no claim thereto.

The patents of Bigelow 113,618, Partington ing handle 16 that the two would natural be operated by different hands thus enhancing safety.

If it should be desired to control the machine solely by the hand controller, the foot controller could be adjusted rearwardly so as to be out ofthe way of the operators feet, and for this purpose the rock shaft 60 is fulcrumed upon a pair of adjustable lugs 66 at the right and left hand sldes of the machine, which lugs may be slid rearwardly on the fixed frame bars 67.

As before stated, I have provided no means for adjusting the relation between the presser and its actuating eccentric, and the presser always moves upwardly and downwardly over a given path of movement. Sometimes, however, relative adjustment with respect to the bed is required, for the reasons before explained, and for this purpose I have rendered the bed vertically adustable in an efficient and convenient manner and withoutsacrificing its rigidity and efliciency as a cutting block.- Extending downwardly from the support 14, above which the cutting block is supported, is a shank or plun er 69, which for convenience may be cylin rical, and this plunger fits snugly within a cylindrical recess formed at 70 in the frameof the machine. To prevent rotation a keyway is cut in the plunger at 71, as seen in Fig. 2, engaged by a pin or bolt 72.

shown in Fig. 2 as being slitted from the top thereof for a considerable distance downwardly, and is formed with a pair of opposite lugs 73 near the top, which lugs are bored for the reception of a locking bolt 74, which passes through the ri hthand lug and engages screw threads in t e lefthand lug. This permits the frame to be tightly compressed about the plunger after the latter has been adjusted to the proper altitude.

The adjustment of the plunger 69 and the cutting block may, for convenience, be effected by a screw threaded device, as seen in Fig. 1. This comprises a threaded shank 75, having a hand-wheel 76 at its lower exterior end and a shoulder at 77, which rests upon an apertured plate 78, confined within the lower end of the hollow frame part. The

threaded part of the shank 75 engages in an interiorly threaded member 79, integral with or secured within the plunger 69.

By this arrangement the turning of the hand wheel in one direction or the other.

all)

ct terial, attaining the objects and advantages ll. seam a lifts and lowers the cutting bed to the desired point. Gravity causes its descent when lowered, and when finally adjusted the locking device 73, 74 finally secures the parts in place.

The complete operation of the described apparatus may be as follows: The operator will spread the leather, skin, 'or other sheet material over the cutting block or bed 12, and will lay the cutting die 17 in suitable position on the leather, as dictated by the condition of the material. Assuming that the hand-wheel 76 and the bed locking devices have been employed to properly adjust the height of the bed with respect to the presser, the operator may with the left hand swing the presser into cutting position over the die, and thereupon depress the hand controller 64 or the foot controller 62. This swings the cam shoe 4:9 forwardly from the dog 4:6, allowing the latter to become operative, so that the power pulley engages and drives the shaft 31, causing the descent, and then the lifting, of the ram 18 and the presser 15. If the operator has not released the pedal, the reciprocation will continue, but if he has released the pedal, the pin 47 on the rotating dog will meet and be forced inwardly by the cam shoe, thus disengaging the elutch and permitting the shaft to be stopped by the iriction band device, in a position with the presser elevated to substantially its maximum height above the bed. lhis permits the presser to be swung to one side and the die repositionedfor another cutting.

It will be noticed that, if the controller, hand or foot, be depressed and immediately released, power will be transmitted from the driving member or pulley through the clutch, shaft, eccentric and ram to cause a single reciprocation or descent and rise of the presser, whereas, if desired, the controller may be held depressed, so as to cause continuous or repeated reciprocations until the release of the controller.

I do not make any broad claim herein to the employment in. a press of a tripping clutch, controlled by hand or foot lever, which, like that shown in the present drawings, comprises a spring-pressed dog on the main shaft of the press, adapted to be engaged and driven by shoulders or notches on the driving member or pulley until released by the throwing in of the dog through an axially shiftable throw-out device, nor to the application of friction to stop the shaft when so disengaged; since the expired Wheeler Patent No. 47 0,7 97 of 1892, shows a power press having such a clutch-and-stop mechanism. My specific clutch difiers per ae in mere detail from that or Wheeler.

It will thus be seen that l have described a press for cutting-out and punching sheet meand embodying the principles of the present invention. Since many matters of design, arrangement, combination and other features may be variously modified without departing from the principles of the present improvement, l do not wish to be limited to such features excepting in so far as specitied in the appended claims.

/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A power press for cutting-out or punching leather or other sheet material, including, in combination with the machine frame, and the bed carried thereby; a non-rotating upright pillar reciprocable downwardly and upwardly; a laterally swingable presser rotatably engaged upon and carried by the pillar and adapted to extend over said bed,

said presser comprising a forwardly extending head, a rotary hearing at the rear of the head engaging the pillar, an extension for a second rotary bearing, and a second rotary bearing also engaging the pillar, said second rotary bearing being provided on said extension and spaced vertically substantially from the first bearing, and said head and tltl extension and rotary bearings constituting a solid unitary member capable of bodily rotation relatively to the pillar and of reciprocation with the pillar; a guide on said frame engaging said pillar between said two rotary bearings; and power connections for reciprocating the pillar at suitable times.

2. A power press for cutting-out or punching leather or other sheet material, including, in combination with the machine frame,

a and the bed carried thereby; a non-rotating upright pillar reciprocable downwardly and upwardly; a laterally swingable presser rotatably engaged upon and carried by the pillar and adapted to extend over said bed, said presser comprising a forwardly extending head, a rotary bearing at the rear of the head engaging the pillar, an extension for a second rotary bearing, and a second rotary bearing also engaging the pillar, said second rotary bearing being provided on said extension and spaced vertically substantially from the first bearing, and said head and extension and rotary bearings constituting a solid unitary member capable of bodily rotation relatively to the pillar and of reciprocation with the pillar; a guide on said frame engaging said pillar between said two rotary bearings; power connections engaging the pillar at a point spaced below the lower rotary bearing; and a second guide on said frame engaging said pillar between the lower rotary bearing and the power con nections.

3. A power press for cutting-out or punching leather or other sheet material, including, in combination with the machine frame, and the bed carried thereby; a non-rotatin upright pillar reciprocable downwardly an upwardly; a laterally swingable presser roare lar and adapted to extend over said bed, said presser comprising a forwardly extending head, an upper rotary hearing at the rear of and substantially on a level with the head, a downward extension from said rotary bearing, a lower rotary bearing on said extension, said two rotary bearings engaging the pillar at spaced apart points, and said head and extension and rotary bearings constituting a solid unitary member capable of bodily rotation relatively to the pillar and of reciprocation with the pillar; and a guide bearing on said frame engaging said.

pillar between said two rotary bearmgs.

4. A power press for cutting-out or punching leather or other sheet material, including, in combination with the machine frame, and the bed carriedthereby; a non-rotating upright pillar reciprocable downwardly and upwardly; a laterally swingable presser rotatably. engaged upon and carried by the pillar and adapted to extend over said bed, said presser comprising a forwardly extending head, an upper rotary bearing at the rear of and substantially on a level with the head, a downward extension from said rotary bearing, a lower rotary bearing on said extension, said two rotary bearmgs en-- gaging the pillar at spaced apart points, and said head and extension and rotary bearings constituting a solid unitary member capable of bodily rotation relatively to the pillar and of reciprocation with the pillar; a guide bearing on'said frame engaging said pillar between said two rotary bearings, a second guide bearing below the lower rotary bearing; and power connections engaging the pillar below all said bearings for reciprocating it at suitable times.- 7

5. A power press for cutting-out or punching leather or other sheet material, -including, in combination with the machine frame, and the bed at the upper front thereof, an

mesa

ofthe machine; a rearward extension on the frame at substantially the level of the bed and giving support to the pillar; a laterally swingable presser rotatably engaged upon and carried by the pillar, said presser comprising the following substantially unitary and rigidly associated parts, namely,

an upper rotary bearingsurrounding the.

'pillar' abovesaid frame extension, a head extending forwardly from said upper bearing, a balancing arm extending rearwardly from said upper bearing, said rearward arm formed with a downward extension, and a lower rotary bearing on said extension surrounding the pillar below said frame extension; and power connections for causing relative up-and-down movements between the bed and presser.

6. A power press for cutting-out or punching'leather orother sheet material, including, in combination with the machine frame, and the bed carried thereby; a non-rotating 'tatably engaged uponand carried by the pilupright presser-carrying pillar near the rear upright pillar; a laterally swingable presser rotatably engaged upon the pillar and adapted to extend over said bed, said presser comprising a forwardly extending head, a rotary bearing at the rear of the head engaging the pillar, an extension for a second rotary bearing, and a second rotary bearlng also engaging the pillar, said second rotary bearing being provided on said extension and spaced vertically substantially from the first bearing, and said head'and extension and rotary bearings constituting a solid unitary member capable of bodily rotation'relatively to the pillar; an exten-' sion on said frame giving support to said pillar between said tworotary bearings; and power connections for reciprocating the presser at suitable times.

signature. 7

-AUGUST R. SCHOENKY. I

' In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my 

